Such Great Heights
by windspans
Summary: The Star Wars AU. In which Cao Cao is a senator, Sun Jian runs the smugglers and Liu Bei is trying to get involved, and Dong Zhuo the Hutt has taken over the imperial capital. Minor crack.


**A/N: **Started as a prompt on the anon meme in LJ, and then grew to epic proportions (well, it will, if all goes well).

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1.

"Dong Zhuo's taken Coruscant, one of the most heavily guarded planets of the galaxy, and you can't even explain how that came to pass? Just how incompetent are you?"

Senator Cao Cao was unhappy, to say the least, and the envoy he was currently facing was doing his very best to spontaneously develop invisibility in order to escape his enraged glare. Thankfully for him the question was largely rhetorical, and the politician was more interested in pacing around his oversized office than in pushing for an answer. However he couldn't exactly leave without being dismissed, and was therefore extremely grateful when the occasion to make himself scarce came.

"Call Xiahou Dun and Yuan back. I don't care if they're training recruits or chasing pirates, under imperial orders or not, I want them here as soon as possible."

With a nod the man acknowledged the order and made his escape, leaving Cao Cao to himself. Frowning, the senator stared out of the gigantic window, which overlooked the city and, more importantly (at least to him), the planet's main spaceport.

The Hutt's latest exploit was throwing a wrench in all of his plans, and something had to be done about it. The question was, what? Dong Zhuo now had the court and a good part of the military high command hostage, which meant Cao Cao had to tread carefully, or be ready to deal with the aftermath, which wouldn't be pretty. Not to mention the fact that Dong Zhuo was rich enough to send all the bounty hunters and assassins in the area on anyone who tried to rebel against him ten times over.

No, doing this by himself was out. But maybe if he convinced someone else to… Yes, he had just the person in mind.

"Dian Wei," he called out to his bodyguard as he strode out of the office, "get my shuttle ready. We're going to pay Yuan Shao a visit."

2.

_A few days later_

Living on the right side of the law was sometimes too much of a hassle, or so had Sun Jian, unofficial leader of the Core Worlds smugglers, decided early on. Over the years he had established himself as _the_ man to go to when one needed something one would rather not obtain through official means, through a combination of skill, charisma and high-placed acquaintances in the bureaucracy.

"I thought you hated the empire?" asked Cao Cao, the foremost of those acquaintances, currently leaning against the doorway and watching him attempt to reorganize his desk (a commendable effort, but his eldest son had much too good a job of dispersing the documents for it to be fixed in such short notice).

"I do. I just hate the Hutt more, and this is the perfect occasion to get back at him." Giving up, Sun Jian rose to his feet. "Why did you let Yuan Shao head this little rebellion?"

A smirk. "Simple: I don't want to take the blame if something goes wrong."

"Of course. And you still get to reap the rewards if things go right, eh?"

"You know me too well, you old pirate."

"You're just as old as I am, so what does that make you?"

Cao Cao rolled his eyes and did not dignify the other man with an answer. Both of them strolled through the corridor, heading for Sun Jian's command center – he'd opted for keeping his flagship in orbit, and Cao Cao, tired of Yuan Shao's pompous speeches, had taken him up on his invitation to 'spend some time with an old friend' (translated as 'discuss strategy somewhere more private').

"How are your sons?"

The smuggler grinned. "Same as usual - Ce's still rushing headlong into danger and dragging Zhou Yu along with him, and Quan's amusing himself by playing spymaster. He's getting good at it, but he tends to be a bit too thorough about it. You know how it is."

"Sadly, I do. Though my sons are busier trying to kill one another than doing anything worthwhile."

A laugh from Sun Jian, then comfortable silence for a moment, before they reached their destination and drew to a stop before the main computer's screen, at which point both took a more serious look. Cao Cao drew up a model of the capital, and started speaking.

3.

"The current plan is to distract the main of Dong Zhuo's mercenaries with a full frontal assault, and get a smaller force into the palace during the confusion through some less well-known passages. The whole area is heavily populated, so we've got some agents working on getting as many people away as possible when the battle starts. Numbers-wise, I think we've got the superiority, but they've got better positioning."

"What about Lu Bu?"

A frown. "What about him?"

"He's good. I don't know where the worm got him, but he's bad news. He's more machine than man now, and he's a Sith on top of that, which, as you know, is not a good thing for us."

"He can't be that powerful, can he? And even if he is, surely we have someone who can hold his own against him?"

Sun Jian shook his head. "Zhou Yu will be busy coordinating my forces as well as keeping an eye on Ce, my officers are good but would have a lot of difficulties holding him off, and I don't want to lose too many of my men by doing an all-out charge. I don't know about yours, though. Got anyone?"

"No. I need Yuan to deal with eventual reinforcements, and Dun's to go with the smaller group. If Lu Bu's too strong for your men, then the rest of mine just aren't up to it."

"What about that Jedi Master of yours?"

"Sima Yi? He's wandered off somewhere. He has the annoying habit of never being there when I need him, and I can hardly force him to do anything he doesn't want to."

"Alright, so that's out… How about the others who have joined? I've seen a number of people talking with Yuan Shao, anyone there who might, at the very least, be good as cannon fodder?"

Cao Cao's look turned considering. "You might have something here. I'll have to discuss it with him, convince him to let us take care of that side-attack and focus the rest of the coalition on the front."

"Already trying to get rid of the competition?"

"I admit to nothing."

4.

"Speaking of other people… I've picked up a few strays. One of them is an old friend of Huang Gai's, goes by Zhang Fei, somehow got wind of our operation – and before you ask, yes, I've got Quan taking care of any remaining leaks in security – and decided to join up. Good fighter, from what I've seen, and so are his two friends. One of them – name's Liu Bei – might be of interest to you."

"How so?"

"He's an idealist, talks about restoring peace to the galaxy, helping the people, the usual spiel, same as most ambitious upstarts trying to get themselves some support. The thing is, this one means it."

Cao Cao made a polite noise of disbelief.

"Trust me on this. Actually, don't, you'll see for yourself. Shangxiang's taken a shine to him and dragged him out to test his piloting skills, but they should be done soon."

"Poor man. Your girl will undoubtedly make him go through one of her crazier flights of fancy."

"It's the rite of passage here. Hopefully he'll still be in good enough shape to leave on his own feet, unlike a certain senator of my acquaintance."

"I was already ill. The barrel-rolls merely made things worse."

"Of course."

The smuggler smiled, ignoring his companion's vaguely insulted look, then continued talking, completely unperturbed.

"So, back to where I was - ah yes, we also picked up a certain Zhuge Liang. A quiet fellow really, spends most of his time with his wife or staring at that Liu Bei. Although Yu's been looking at him strangely… What is it?"

Cao Cao wiped the look that had made its way to his face at that name off.

"Would that be Jedi Master Zhuge Liang? As in, the one Sima Yi keeps ranting about?"

Sun Jian paused to consider that.

"Now that you mention it…"

Cao Cao buried his face in his hands and groaned.

Interlude

The imperial palace's shipyard was, as most things were around here, gigantic, magnificent and not a little ostentatious. It was also, as Zhang Liao had come to realize early on, one of Lu Bu's favorite hiding spots, and that was why he was now making his way through rows and rows of gleaming ships arranged with military precision according to type and function and ignoring the hostile looks coming from the mechanics and pilots he passed by. They were still smarting from Dong Zhuo's takeover, especially since it had all happened too fast for them to react or even try to stop it. Zhang Liao had trouble bringing himself to care; if they'd been careless enough to let it happen, they didn't deserve any of his interest.

A low, steady mechanic rumble alerted him that he was nearing his destination, and within moments the man he had been looking for came in sight. Or rather, the lower part of his body did, the rest of it being lost under the bright, heavily reinforced hull of his prized starfighter. Typical.

"You know, I don't see why you even bother tweaking it anymore." It wasn't the first time he'd said that too, but it was almost tradition. Plus, seeing the Sith jump in surprise at the sound of his voice was always nice (especially since, from the muffled curses trickling in his direction, he had managed to get Lu Bu to mess up in whatever he was doing).

It was only a few seconds later that Lu Bu extracted himself from the machinery to properly glare at Zhang Liao. That look could make grown men shake in terror; the bounty hunter serenely looked back.

"You usually sense me coming long before I even get near. Anything wrong?"

"No. I was distracted."

Lu Bu, Sith or not, was a bad liar. It would have been cute, had he not been the towering, menacing half-machine man he was.

"This has nothing to do with the fact that Diao Chan is currently dancing for Dong Zhuo, then?"

The glare intensified and the telltale crackle of electricity thrummed at his ears, which was all the answer he needed.

"I know you care for her, but are you not overreacting a bit?" Zhang Liao drew closer to his – friend? Yes, he was one of the only ones able to call the man that.

"I love her" Lu Bu corrected almost automatically (again, it wasn't a new argument). Then, dangerously, "I swear that if he even _touches_ her, I am going to kill him."

Zhang Liao inwardly cringed at such a declaration made in the open, and refrained from saying anything. Still, after a while, he couldn't help it. "Be careful."

Lu Bu grinned, all teeth and arrogance and trust. "Why should I be, when I have you with me?"

5.

The Jedi Order, for all that it recommended peace and unity, had never been very efficient at following its own guidelines. As the Republic declined the tensions between some of the higher-ranked members of the Order grew higher than ever, and by the time the Empire was firmly established most Jedi were scattered across the galaxy, without the organization of old, though some semblance of it still remained in the Core Worlds, where their population had been the most concentrated. It might be believed that such circumstances would make them more prone to present an united front, but the fact was it changed nothing. If anything, it made the disagreements more likely to happen.

On the bright side of things, it also made for interesting reunions, if the two Jedi currently fencing in the ship's main hold were anything to go by.

"I see you still favor the second form," Zhuge Liang idly commented while deflecting a direct strike, looking as unruffled as if he were talking about the weather.

"Of course." Zhou Yu stepped back, relaxed and smiling. "Just as you keep to the third."

They looked at each other for a moment, then simultaneously moved forward, lightsabers flashing. Neither were giving it their all, but there no denying that the smallest wrong move could result in serious injury. It made things more interesting, as far as they were concerned.

Zhou Yu sidestepped, his opponent's blade passing dangerously close to his shoulder, and moved to counterattack. "So, why the sudden reappearance?"

Zhuge Liang feigned ignorance, redirecting the blow and falling back into a defensive stance. "What are you talking about?"

A look of annoyance. "For the past few years you have been completely off the radar, haven't moved once from that planet you've settled on. Do not tell me you merely decided it was time to see the world and visit some old friends."

"Would you believe me if I said I felt a disturbance in the Force?"

Slash. Block. "No."

"I am not blind. Events have been put in motion, and it is not difficult to see that the process can only accelerate. And, as you might understand, I have no intention of staying on the sidelines."

Parry, thrust, charge, block – the old training routine. Strange how easy it was to fall back to it, despite the time that had passed.

"You'll forgive me, I am sure, if I have trouble believing that is your sole reason to abandon your little retreat."

A wry smile from Zhuge Liang, from behind their crossed 'sabers. "Am I really that transparent?" He met the other's gaze, broke away from the deadlock and retracted his blade, then moved to leave.

"It's that Liu Bei, isn't it?"

He paused, looked back. "Maybe. I believe I shall watch him a while longer before pronouncing myself on the matter."

Zhou Yu's look was derisive, and though he seemed completely at ease there was a hint of tension to his stance. "You always were one to wait and see. Someday you will have to decide without having all the facts, and I do wonder what will happen then."

6.

"Hey brother, you alright?"

It usually took a lot to worry Zhang Fei, even when it concerned Liu Bei, but the various politicians and military personnel milling around the system made him uneasy. It wasn't fear, not exactly, but more of a constant, nibbling worry that was only compounded by his brother's tendency to disappear for a few hours without warning, and coming back with a new friend-slash-acquaintance. It had never been much of an issue; Liu Bei could perfectly well defend himself if the need arose, and he had an uncanny capacity to read people.

Zhang Fei knew that. He did. The whole situation was just very far from ideal – too many officials, too much stuff going on backstage, and not enough people he could trust.

He did admit, however grudgingly, that it couldn't be all that bad if Liu Bei was smiling the way he was right then.

"I am fine," his brother said, absently pulling at the sleeve of his flightsuit, and Zhang Fei did relax a bit at that. "Are _you_? You have tense ever since we've arrived."

Zhang Fei shrugged, not quite willing to share his unease when the other man seemed so much at ease. "Don't worry about me," he avoided, and while Liu Bei still wore that look that said he didn't agree, he let the subject drop. For now at least, since Zhang Fei knew from experience the gentle, prodding questions would be back in full force at one point or another, and that he'd end up explaining it all. His brother tended to have that effect on people.

"Were you out with that Sun kid again?" he asked, in order to ease the conversation away from his feelings.

A nod, and that smile again. "Shangxiang," he corrected almost automatically, then, "Yes." Zhang Fei chuckled. It figured that his brother would be immediately attracted to her, given their shared interest in piloting and her cheery, friendly attitude. Technically they were only flying together every so often, but only Liu Bei hadn't noticed the way her brothers were eyeing him. Zhang Fei only hoped Sun Jian wouldn't overreact at realizing his baby girl was spending some of her time with a man that was still mostly a stranger; in the meantime, it made for great fun to watch them flirt. Possibly because it mostly involved them trying to shoot each other into oblivion while in space or racing at breakneck speeds through the planet's ravines.

"Hey, we were planning on going planetside, see the sights" and the bars "and get a break from all the mess in here. You coming?"

Liu Bei shook his head, vaguely apologetic. "I'm sorry, no. I have to speak with a few people, prepare for the assault."

"Aw, come on. You've done that a hundred of times already."

"We cannot afford to be unprepared. A single mistake could cause the death of thousands!"

Zhang Fei knew when to back off, and that particular tone brooked no argument.

"Alright. Just… call if you need something, okay?"

"I will. But don't worry, it will be fine." He started to explain, indulging Zhang Fei's slightly overbearing demeanor. "I will be talking with some of Gongsun Zan's officers. They will be part of the force attacking from the front, so we have to keep things as organized as we can in order to properly draw away Dong Zhuo's forces

Without getting overwhelmed."

Zhang Fei knew when to take a hint. "Sounds fun. I'll see you later, then?"

"It will not be that long." Liu Bei smiled, then moved to leave, only stopping to concede that "Maybe I'll come and join you afterwards."

"Great. See you then!"

Well, so much for keeping an eye on him.

"You are aware he is no longer a child, aren't you?" Guan Yu's voice rumbled from behind him, and Zhang Fei turned to him.

"Of course I am! Doesn't stop me from worrying, though."

"He can take care of himself."

"Says the man who put a tracer in his ship."

"He also has a tendency of attracting trouble."

"Tell me about it."

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Further notes: as school is up again, updates may be a while in coming. Also, would anyone be interested in acting as beta for this? I need someone to give me a kick every so often.


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